


The burning chicken.

by Goldfish00



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, One Shot, otp prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:08:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26007763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldfish00/pseuds/Goldfish00
Summary: Based on an otp prompt when one person is sick and the other nurses them back to health.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	1. Burnt Soup 1.0

Regina woke up with a splitting headache. A sneeze tore through her before she was even properly roused awake. As much as she wanted to lie in bed forever, the blinding light from the sun was not helping. She used the pillow to shield her eyes from the harsh afternoon sun because she was too lazy to get up to pull the curtains. The running tap above her mouth was leaking terribly. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Regina sat up in bed feebly. She rubbed her tired eyes as they adjusted to the bright light. Dragging herself to the toilet to wash up, she made sure to avoid the mirror.

Emma stood up, immediately turning her attention from the television towards the stairs. The blonde was right by Regina’s side before the brunette acknowledged the presence of a guest at home. The marbled floor proved slippery for Regina’s current state and she clung on tightly to Emma’s red leather jacket. Her concern that the blonde would find her disheveled at her face free of makeup, thrown away. Emma was too happy that she was able to have Regina so close to care about her looks.

Emma sat Regina on the chair by the dining table and served her a bowl of porridge. She omitted to tell Regina that the porridge was prepared by Mary Margaret. She knows Regina would put up a fight with her stomach because of the history they both have. Even though Regina might have an idea, she does not show it. The brunette stirred the porridge with a soup spoon with her head resting on her hand on the table.

The blonde set two tablets of aspirin alongside a glass of water for the brunette once she had filled her stomach. She took out the ingredients she to prepare chicken soup.   
_  
Hah, chicken soup of love._

Emma hummed as she opened the cupboard for a decent pot. A few distances away, Regina hummed along with her eyes closed. A memory crossed her mind as she started taking small mouthfuls of her food.

The blonde brought the fresh chicken away from her when some unknown liquid splashed at her as tore away the wrapper.

“Okay... Okay...” Emma looked back to the chicken and then back to the crumpled piece of paper with instructions. “Wha-“ The blonde scratched her head in confusion as struggled to understand her own handwriting. It took her awhile to process that she was using the same hand that handled the chicken to scratch at her head.

She looked at the stove and took the gas gun to light the stove. The flame flared up abruptly and Emma stumbled back in fear. Next, Emma set a pot of water atop the fire and took a clean bowl to fill more water by the sink. She watched the pot closely for any sign of bubbles. A watched pot never boils. Emma covered the pot and went out to check on Regina.

The brunette was lying her head on her stretched hand on the table, the bowl of half-eaten porridge now cold but the medicine was taken. Emma scooped Regina up easily and she protested. She refused to let Emma treat her weakly and insisted to be placed at the couch than in her bedroom. The pot cover clanged against the pot just as Emma was about to join Regina on the couch.

Emma got up abruptly only to knock her knee against the coffee table in the narrow space as she made her way to the kitchen. She grabbed the pot cover and threw the cover on to the countertop to protect her fingers. At a lost, she threw the pieces of chicken into the pot and look for her piece of paper.

The piece of paper that dropped into the boiling pot was enough for Emma to start her tirade of swear words. She found a fork in the cutlery drawer and fished out what seemed to be half of the paper. Emma wondered if ink was safe for consumption. The other half of the paper was still missing.

Without the paper, she had forgotten about the remaining steps to prepare the soup. Emma peeked out of the kitchen to find Regina surfing the television for a suitable channel. As if on instinct, Regina turned towards Emma. The blonde gave her best nothing-is-wrong smile. Pacing around the kitchen, Emma tapped her finger on her chin as she tried to recall what condiments Mary Margaret used.

Emma opened the cupboard above her head and scanned the bottles of all sizes. Paprika, parsley, cinnamon, pepper and so many more that she was lost. She grabbed two containers of white crystals and dipped her finger in for a taste. The blonde winced as she mistook salt for sugar. She took a teaspoon of salt and sugar each and threw in a bit of paprika and parsley. Next, she muttered a silent prayer as she brought the pot to a simmer and joined Regina on the couch.

The brunette complained that she was cold so Emma went up to grab her comforter and drabbed it on her. Regina cuddled up to Emma, grateful for her body heat. Emma smiled at the television screen with Spongebob Squarepants catching jellyfishes. Regina sneaked a glance at Emma’s face and rested her head on her shoulder, a content smile on her face.

Emma snapped her eyes open to the smell to a strong, acrid burn. The blonde tried to get up but was held back by a light weight clinging to her arm. She gently disengaged Regina’s tight grip on her.   
  
Emma rushed to open the windows wider as she fanned away the smoke from the burning chicken. She ran a cloth under the tap and used it to carry the pot to the sink. There was still a little water in the pot before she set Regina’s kitchen on fire. She turned on the tap and watched the remaining chicken bits sizzled.

She slapped her hands on the marble surface in frustration and regretted even thinking of cooking. She took out her mobile and waited as the ringing tone connected her to Ruby. Hell, she did not endure Mary Margaret’s mother-daughter cooking session just to leave Regina disappointed.

”You do delivery?” The blonde turned off the tap to see the missing half of paper floating above the pot.


	2. Burnt Soup 2.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The burnt soup 2.0

Emma hung up the call and rolled up her sleeves. She dumped the chicken into the container beside her which she assumed Regina used it for waste. There was a piece of chicken left in the pot when she turned it upright. It looked a little pink, but Emma deemed it cooked. She looked around the kitchen and picked it up to examine it. The blonde felt as if she was back to being a food thief, the fear of getting caught creeping up in her. 

"Bluek! P-p-p!" Emma jumped up and down as if it could help get rid of the taste of uncooked chicken. She shuddered as she looked down at the chicken she spat out on her hand. _Yep, uncooked._

She gurgled her mouth and washed the pot with a soaked sponge. The doorbell rang as she was wiping the pot clean with a towel. The blonde rushed to answer the door, afraid the ringing would wake Regina. Emma held the door open to small gap, just enough for her hand to reach out. Ruby tried to force open the door, but Emma held it closed. 

"What are you hiding, Nolan?" Red lips curled to reveal a wolfish grin.

"Pass me the soup." Emma stuck her hands out, but Ruby refused to pass the paper bag still clutched tightly to her body. "Fine, fine." The blonde relented on account that the brunette made it an effort to send it over personally. "Regina's sick because of me. So, I'm taking care of her." Ruby waggled her brows at the news. 

"Don't tell anyone." Emma called out to Ruby as she stepped down the porch. Ruby made a zipping motion at her mouth and turned to run back to the diner before dinner rush.

Her mobile alarm rang, causing her to jerk up in fright as she zoned out momentarily. The time read five in the evening and she went to check on Regina for her second dose. Emma switched off the television and gently shifted the brunette's head from the arm rest to her shoulder. She recalled how did Mary Margaret fussed over her when she was sick and repeated the actions. She wrapped her arms around Regina, bringing the brunette's head to rest on her chest. She patted her gently to rouse her awake, but it did not work. Emma rocked Regina together with her as body swayed, calling out, "Regina..." The brunette let out a groan and burrowed herself deeper into the blanket, rubbing her face on Emma's chest. Emma chuckled, finding grumpy Regina adorable. "Come on, you need to eat to recover faster." Brushing away dark curls, Emma peered down to see Regina half awake. 

The rumbles of Emma's chuckles were effective. Snaking a hand from under the warmth of her blanket, Regina's free hand groped for Emma's face blindly. The brunette's clamped Emma's lips shut with her fingers, "Shhh..." Emma attempted to stifle her laughter but went into full-blown laughter when Regina sat up with her bed head, letting out an out of character whine.

Emma took out the thermometer and spoke, "Ah..." Regina gave her a glare but acquiesced, nonetheless. The thermometer sat under her tongue while Emma looked at her, a gentle smile on her face. The thermometer beeped and the screen displayed forty degrees. The blonde got up to wash the thermometer, leaving Regina alone in the living room for a moment. A noise from the living room alerted Emma. She rushed out to see the soup spoon on the floor, lying in a small puddle of soup. The remaining soup from the table still dripping, causing a rivulet. Emma rushed to the kitchen for paper towels to stop the dripping.

Regina looked up at Emma alarmed, her eyes shining with tears like a young child knowing she was in for a beating for making a mess on the expensive rug. The blonde placed a hand on Regina's foot, not wanting her to slip on the liquid. "It's okay. I'll clean it." Emma softly reassured Regina. The brunette was stubborn and kept insisting that she could clean up herself. Emma pressed her further into the couch and sat beside her. She took the bowl with the remaining soup and spooned a mouthful with a clean spoon. Blowing on the hot soup gently, she hovered the spoon in front of Regina's face. Regina insisted that she could feed herself but Emma simply shook her head and refused to hand over the spoon. "You are Princess Regina today and I'm Handmaiden Emma." The blonde moved the spoon to her mouth and made slurping noises. "The soup is nice, Lady Regina."

"Stop that and I'll drink it." Regina rolled her eyes and opened her mouth at timely intervals as Emma fed her. The blonde gave Regina a candy after she swallowed two tablets with a mouthful of water. The brunette crossed her arms at being treated like a kid, but she took the offered candy anyway. Emma realized that Regina was recovering fast and that is why her bitchy panties-in-a-twist attitude was making an appearance once again.

The next day Emma woke up to find Regina staring her down, well-dressed with perfect makeup. Emma sat up, feeling triumphant. "Woah, you recover fast under my care."

Regina grasped Emma's chin in her hand, all serious tone and whispered. "You are not to tell a single soul about what had happened." The blonde nodded, her brain in a haze from staring at the beautiful face in such proximity. With their noses touching each other, green eyes stayed transfixed on brown eyes. When Regina put some distance between their faces to observe Emma, the blonde's attention dropped to the lip scar and settled on luscious lips. A pink tongue darted out to wet dry lips and Emma whispered, "Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i think this is considered an ending to this prompt hahaha... please enjoy, thanks. Thank you for taking the time to read and leave kudos. :)

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in my book for very long and I just felt like sharing. LOL


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